Three laboratory studies are proposed utilizing college undergraduate volunteers -- all designed to evaluate behavioral, autonomic and subjective feeling data under various aversive circumstances. Study I, using both normal Ss and individuals who score in the "depressed" range on psychometric instruments, involves a minimal two-person interaction procedure, to study the effects of interpersonal contigencies in changing depressive-masochistic reactions to stress. Study II attempts to evaluate behavioral-emotional effects of an aversive experience over which Ss have a relative absence of control. Study III also focuses on the effects of reduced control over aversive stimulation, but assesses the interpersonal-emotional effects of this experience. All three studies have relevance for a theory of emotions which focuses on instrumental behaviors.